Rake.



G. N. BARBIE.

RAKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR/20,1914.

Patented M21119, 1915.

HE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHOI. WASHINGTON, D. C.

pnrrnn snares ra'rnnr enrich.

GEORGE N. BARBIE, OF BROOKLIN'E, MA$SACHUSETTS.

RAKE.

Application filed April 20, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE N. BARRLE, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and resident of Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bakes, of which the follow ing is a specification.

My invention relates to garden tools, more particularly to rakes.

The description of the device is herein set forth as applied to hand rakes, but it is not to be inferred that the invention is restricted to any such special form of rake.

In the drawings hereto annexed which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a top view of the head of the rake; Fig. 2 is an elevation of part of the end section of the head partly broken away; Fig. 3 is an end view of the tube and teeth; Fig. 4: is a cross sectional view of the head on the line l4c (Fig. 2); Fig. 5 is a bottom view of part of the head; Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view on the line 66 (Fig. 1) Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the juncture of an arch wire and the handle. Fig. 8 is a view of the wire and means for holding the same at said juncture; and Fig. 9 is a view of an end section of one of the arch wires.

Similar reference letters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The head of the rake consists of a tube D of resilient material with wires E, each arching through a semicircle to serve as braces for the tube. This tube, which may be either of square or round cross section, is perforated on the top and on the bottom to permit the insertion of the rake prongs or teeth P. One side of the tube is split longitudinally its entire length across the diameters of the lower set of teeth-perforations D leaving a narrow slot D. The rake-teeth P are inserted from the top and are made to extend through the tube till the cap part 1 of the rake-tooth comes in contact with the upper side of the tube. To prevent the rake-teeth from being pushed back out of the perforations they are made fast by causing the sides of the perforations D to grip the teeth. This gripping is effected by means of a small screw-bolt H and nut I at each end of the tube, by the screw-bolts C and C and at intermediate points of the tube by the end sections G Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Serial No. 8335672.

of the wires E. These wires are provided with nuts F and the fins or alate projections K and L. The fins or alate projections L are inserted in apertures A in the handle A. The handle A is made secure to the tube D by means of the T-shaped metallic device B consisting of a socket for the reception of the end of the handle A, and cross head C. V

lln all raking operations, great strains are put upon the rake-teeth. These are the very parts that are least able to support the strain because they must be of slender construction and of some length in order to accomplish the purpose they are to serve. Therefore, any means that may be devised to permit a wide amplitude of vibration for the teeth will serve to lessen the effect of the strain. A. rake-tooth that is welded or fixed rigidly to the head is limited in its vibration to that of the tooth itself. Hence, an eflicient rake, embodies means for allowing a wide amplitude of vibration. This function in my invention is provided by the specially constructed tube D. By making this tube of resilient material, whether it be of square or round cross-section, and by providing it with a slot, an elastic holder is secured. Therefore, when the teeth, either singly or several together, meet with an unyielding obstruction, the sides of the tube will be sprung back so that the slot D will be made considerably wider. Then, when the pulling force applied to the handle is stopped, the tube will close up tight on the teeth, or if the obstruction is not very great, the springing back may be sufficient to permit the rake to pass over the obstacle. This elasticity prevents the breaking or bending of the teeth.

Since the elastic element is to be supplied by the holder of the teeth being adapted to spring back, it is evident that the holder must be constructed in such a way that the springing back will be confined within certain defined limits. Otherwise the teeth would be unsupported by the lower perforations. To limit the width of the slot or the elasticity of the tube is the function served by the screw-bolts and by the ends of bracing wires which are supplied by the screwthreads and the fins K.

The wires E serve as elastic braces to the tube itself, tending both to keep the tube at indicated in Fig. 2, where the tooth P is the wires and also to supplement that part of the function of the screw-bolt c, 0 which prevents the tube from turning.

this manner, the rake teeth are maintained.

in a perpendicular position. To render the wires E more effective vas braces they are inserted while the fin is held in a horizontal position into the horizontal apertures of the handle, and turned so as to cause the fin L to bind fast within the handle. 2 v

A construction which I am inclined to prefer for reasons of economy in manufacture and appearance of the finished rake is shown as having no head, but is set with its end substantially flush with the top of the rake-head. For suchheadless teeth; the rake-head is perforated along the back with i holes a little smaller than the rake teeth,

and the edges of such holes bent'inward to form a bur or flange, as shown at D where the side of the rake head is broken away in the drawing. The teeth are driven through these burred holes, the burs clamping the teeth snugly; Then the lower gripping sides of the rake head are drawn together, holding the teeth firmly. With this mode of construction the teeth are less expensive 1 than those with heads, and the appearance of the rake is, on the whole, neater and better.

1. In a rake, the combination of a head,

7 consisting of a tube of resilient material, perforated for rake-teeth at opposite sides,

and split through the perforations along one side, teeth adapted to insertion in the perforations in the head, a rake handle, arch wires,- said wires passing through the rake handle and comprising means to hold the head'closed on the teeth at the split side -head, the ends of the arch, wires being threaded, and passing through the rake teeth at the splitside thereof.

side, teeth adapted to insertion in .the perforations in the head, and making a close.

driving -fit in the perforations in the unsplit side, a rake handle, arch wires, said wires passing through the rake handle and comprising means to hold the head closed on the 4. In a rake, the combination of a head, consisting of a tube of resilient material, perforated for rake-teeth at opposite sides,

and split through the perforations along one side, teeth adapted to insertionin the perforations in thehead and making a close driving fit in the perforations in the unsplit side, a rake'handle, arch wires, provided" with laterally projecting fins at the 7 center of each wire and near the ends, said finsj'at the center engaging the material of I,

the handle, "those near the ends engaging the side of the rake head, the ends of the arch wires being threaded, and passing through the rake head, and nuts to engage the ends of the arch wires. 7

5, In a rake, the combination ofa head consisting of a tube of resilient material, with inwardly burred. perforations along one side and perforations along the other side, and split through said latter perforations, teeth adapted to insertion in the perforations and to make a driving fit in the burred perforations,and means to hold the head closed on the teeth at the split side.

6. In a rake, thecombination of a head 7 consisting of a tube of resilient material, perforated forrake teeth at oppos'itesides and split through the perforations along one side, teeth, inserted through both sets of perforations, making a driving fit in the perforations at the unsplit side, with ends flush withthe said side, and means to hold this head closed on the teeth at the split si e.

Signed by me at Boston, .Massachusetts, v

this seventeenth day of April, 1914:. i

V I GEORGE N. BARBIE. Witnesses:

ODIN Romans, 7 FLORENCE A. COLLINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for .five cents each, addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. I 

